[text] a puzzle

[ryuuzaki]

Greetings, Avagi. A puzzle for you.

While exploring some ruins, you come across the remains of a chamber with several intact items in it. Your knowledge of the culture associated with the ruins suggests that the items and the groups in which they were displayed were significant to their original owners in that they found them interesting or amusing rather than sacred.

In no particular order, the items on display are:

- a small log from an alder-type tree
- a globe of the planet where your exploration took place
- what appears to be a carved, wedge-style doorstop, with no indication that it was ever used
- a rough wooden cube, about 1 inch by 1 inch by 1 inch, with a different symbol on each side
- a sheet of parchment
- a model of a simple house with a peaked roof
- an oddly shaped hard, clear wand

On further examination of the wand and the way it reacts to light, you understand what it is... except that it appears to be broken. However, after you consider the other items again, you realize that it was purposely cut in half from the end to give it its place in the group.

What is the wand?
Why were the items displayed as a group?

Rules:

1. Search with your mind, not your feet. This is for entertainment purposes only. I don't know of any such room here.
2. Send answers privately. Don't spoil it for anyone else.

[OOC note: I didn't write this -- i.e. I didn't actually design this puzzle -- but I did rewrite it pretty significantly. Credits coming in a couple of weeks, so it doesn't spoil the fun for anyone who's into trying to solve it.

By "send answers privately," he just means to set them to private ICly. OOCly, you don't need to PM me or anything!

Edited to add: SOURCE. This post was a rewrite of the puzzle at that link. The solution has to do with the number of different sides on each object, from 1 to 7.]

Comments

[ryuuzaki]

You're uniquely placed to answer it correctly... well, not uniquely placed, but unusually well-placed... and not just because I'm the one who published it.

[a_shadow]

Oh, is that a hint? That doesn't seem like your usual MO.

[ryuuzaki]

Maybe less of a hint than you'd think, but who knows? You're a woman of many parts.

[a_shadow]

Is that a hint?

All right, fine, I'll try to work out the solution, but you have to think up a prize. It's only fair.

[ryuuzaki]

I can't offer the same prize to other people that I'd offer to you.

Is that fair?

[a_shadow]

You can't? You won't.

[ryuuzaki]

That would depend on who wants a foot rub.

[a_shadow]

That better be a joke.

[ryuuzaki]

Had it? It is. But you see my problem: the inability to offer equal rewards.

Aside from that, you probably don't need to get the question right, if all you want is a foot massage.

[a_shadow]

I'll look at it. I'm not going to knock myself out over it.

[ryuuzaki]

Something tells me that you're especially well-placed to learn the answer if you can't get it, too.

[a_shadow]

I'll keep it in mind.

[ryuuzaki]

[A while later.]

Any ideas yet?

[a_shadow]

Not really. Is the wand a prism?